Summer is here and the days are getting hotter! Swimming gives our pups a chance to exercise, play, and cool off! While some dogs immediately love the water, not all dogs are born natural swimmers! Learn how to prep your pup to take the plunge!
As with many things related to puppies, exposing them to as many new experiences as possible when they are at a young age helps them establish a healthy and positive association for the rest of their life. And the same goes for teaching them to swim! While you may have heard that “all dogs are natural-born swimmers”, don’t let your pup go off swimming into the deep end alone just yet without following the steps below! We’ll walk you through safe ways to introduce them to water, teaching your puppy to swim, and some important water-related safety tips!
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Introduce Your Puppy to Water
Ease your puppy into the water before letting them take the full plunge! A big body of water could be very intimidating for a young puppy (a human child, too!) so you’ll probably want to start on a shallow end of your pool or lake and let them get comfortable just standing and walking in the water. Try bringing a toy with you and have some treats handy to give to your pup. Let your pup play with the toy or feed them some treats so they start to relax, and realize that being in the water is actually fun!
Pro tip: Always stay next to your puppy when it’s their first time being introduced to water. Your presence will help them build confidence but also you can intervene if your puppy starts to get tired or nervous and wants to get out for a break.
Choosing a Puppy Life Vest
A doggy life vest is a great training and safety tool when you’re teaching your puppy to swim. Whether they are a water breed like a Labrador Retriever, or a breed that needs a little extra help swimming such as a Bulldog, a life vest will help your pup gain confidence in the water, learn to stay afloat and paddle, but also assist them if they get tired from swimming. Start off by letting your pup get used to their life vest first. Let them wear it around the house or yard a few times before they wear it in the water. This will help them relax and feel comfortable in their vest!
When you’re picking a life vest, measure around your puppy’s chest for their girth to get the appropriate fitting size. Even if your pup is still growing, a size that’s too big won’t provide your pup with a secure fit and they could easily wiggle out of the vest while in the water. As they grow, you’ll have to upgrade their life vest to match their size! Also, consider opting for a life vest that has top handles so you can quickly and easily pick your puppy up out of the water!
If you plan to take your pup kayaking, paddle boarding, or boating, always keep a life vest on your puppy even if they already know how to swim! Sadly, many pups have lost their lives to strong waves or currents so a life vest could be a real life-saver!
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Teach Your Puppy to Swim
After your puppy feels comfortable just being in the water, it’s time to teach your puppy how to swim! In this situation, their life vest, and some floaty toys will come in really handy! Entice your puppy to start going deeper by tossing their toys further away. You can carry your pup using the handles on their life vest so your puppy starts to learn to paddle. When your pup starts to paddle, say “Good job!” to provide them loads of positive reinforcement for taking the plunge!
If they start to feel nervous or uncomfortable, don’t pull them in further if they want to go back to the shallow end. Instead, take them back, let them reset, and get comfortable, then try bringing them back out toward their toys. After your pup swims toward their toys a few times, start extending the length of their swim by tossing the toys even further away! Eventually, you slowly start to let them go on their own but stay close behind to come to their aid if need be!
Another way to help your pup learn to swim is “doggy see, doggy do”! If you have a family member or friend with a pup that already knows how to swim and has been introduced to your puppy, invite them along for the swim lesson! Let your pup watch the other one swim and see how fun the water really is! You can carry your puppy in the water and let them follow the other dog!
Swimming Safety Tips
When it comes to teaching your puppy how to swim, you’ll want to make sure that you are aware of the hazards related to water and the precautions to take in order to keep your puppy happy and safe!
Here are the top safety tips to know before letting your puppy go for a swim!
No pool? No problem! But...If you don’t have a pool or access to a dog-friendly pool and plan to take your puppy to the lake to learn how to swim, make sure that you watch out for dangerous Blue-green algae. It is a toxic organism that blooms over the hot summer months on the surface of many lakes, ponds, or stagnant bodies of water.
Supervision is key! Be vigilant and remember to stay with your puppy at all times! In outdoor situations, especially the beach, strong waves or currents can easily sweep a pup away. And even if you are teaching your pup to swim in a lake or pond, your puppy could easily get tired, and if you’re not watching they may start to sink and drown. Always keep their life vest on in these situations as a precaution.
How do I get out? Whether you’re teaching your puppy to swim in a pool or at a lake, make sure your puppy knows how to exit the water! Take some time to show them which direction to take and how to get out on their own.
Pro tip: A swimming leash is a great tool to help you keep track of your pup if they swim off away from you! They typically float and are longer so you can use it to guide your pup back to you if need be! Also, in an open body of water, a swimming leash is another safety precaution to keep your pup safe from getting swept off by a current or wave.
Water- intoxication! This can happen if your pup ingests too much water while swimming! You’ll notice that your puppy will start to gag and throw up right after swimming. Avoid this by keeping the swim sessions short, approximately 10 minutes or less. Saltwater is particularly hazardous as it can cause pups to get sick, vomit, and suffer from dehydration!
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The Dangers of Blue-Green Algae to Pups